Library Communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/10211.5_1
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 16:26:12 GMT2019-03-21T16:26:12ZTeacher Perspectives on Professional Development Opportunities in Transitional Kindergarten Programshttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/208100
Teacher Perspectives on Professional Development Opportunities in Transitional Kindergarten Programs
Ortiz, Melissa M
Abstract
The current shifts in educational policy to include transitional kindergarten, has created an urgency to ensure teachers are equipped to teach in transitional kindergarten programs. Transitional Kindergarten is a program designed to provide young five-year-olds with an additional year of schooling prior to entering kindergarten. Children who qualify for transitional kindergarten are those that turn five years old between September 2 and December 1. Children living in poverty are the most at-risk in terms of educational attainment. Providing a solid foundation in early childhood education for these students contributes to equalizing the disparity that exists between students. Understanding socioeconomic status as it relates to educational opportunities and learning experiences is valuable in ameliorating disparities among students. Teachers, however, receive a variety of professional development throughout the course of the school year; transitional kindergarten teachers may not be receiving enough professional development specific to teaching young children. Providing professional development that is relevant for transitional kindergarten teachers may increase teacher knowledge and provide more opportunities to translate into classroom practice. Ensuring transitional kindergarten teachers have the appropriate training opportunities may help decrease the existing educational gaps. Further research is needed to investigate student-learning outcomes within transitional kindergarten programs and to ensure that equitable practices are offered throughout this program statewide. This research will examine transitional kindergarten teachers’ perspectives of the professional development they receive and explore how it translates into teaching practice. I will conduct interviews with transitional kindergarten teachers from two different districts to gain a better understanding of what professional development is being offered, and what teachers perceive to be most effective for classroom practice.
Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2081002019-03-04T00:00:00ZIt Takes A Team: A Framework for LGBTQ-Inclusive Leadership and Teachinghttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/208097
It Takes A Team: A Framework for LGBTQ-Inclusive Leadership and Teaching
Bravewomon, Lynn
For decades, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) students have participated in research investigating their experiences of bullying, harassment, isolation, and exclusion in school, generating data demonstrating that they experience unsafe school conditions which result in both immediate and long-term consequences for LGBTQ youth. While the research base provides discrete intervention recommendations for specific factors negatively effecting LGBTQ youth in schools, it has not yet identified a comprehensive process for creating a systemic, empowering school culture for LGBTQ students and families. Furthermore, a considerable gap in the research
base exists regarding related needs in elementary school settings. In this Participatory Action Research (PAR) study, I collaborated with the Equity Team of one elementary school to investigate our collective journey toward integrating ongoing, age-appropriate, LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum and instruction at their site. My primary purpose was to identify and describe salient factors that contribute to successful integration of LGBTQ- inclusive instruction at the elementary school level. My findings included the professional development process I used to support the Equity Team’s emerging leadership practices to increase LGBTQ-inclusive instruction, our work as a team to implement LGBTQ- inclusive instruction with their teaching colleagues at the school, and thirdly, a detailed and expansive description of “LGBTQ-inclusive instruction”. Based upon this research, I propose an LGBTQ-inclusive framework that includes a description of the process of professional development facilitation that can be used to support a site Equity team and school staff .
Thu, 28 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2080972019-02-28T00:00:00ZEffects of Climate Change on Migration and Breeding Phenology in the San Francisco Common Yellowthroathttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/207817
Effects of Climate Change on Migration and Breeding Phenology in the San Francisco Common Yellowthroat
Scientists believe that one consequence of recent climate change is the reduction of the
long-term viability of many natural populations. The nature and scope of climate change
effects on living organisms, however, are still poorly understood and, for this reason,
scientists are focusing their research in these areas. One area of particular interest is how
climate change is influencing species’ phenology (seasonal timing of events). One group
for which seasonal behaviors are of particular importance is migratory birds. These
animals may be especially impacted by climate change, because their survival and
breeding success depends on their ability to engage in specific behaviors, often with other
species, over specific spatial and temporal gradients. My study involves an examination
of this issue in the local population of Common Yellowthroats (COYE) in the San
Francisco (SF) Bay Area, CA, which are a California Species of Special Concern (SSC).
Using a long-term data set, I explored whether SF COYE have exhibited shifts in the
timing of breeding and migration over the last several decades and, if so, whether these
shifts are correlated with temporal changes in local temperature and precipitation levels.
The results of this study suggest that spring temperature likely influences SF COYE
migratory behavior, but that other factors may have a stronger effect on temporal patterns
of SF COYE phenology. The value of my study is multifaceted: first, it involves an
exploration of factors that may be limiting population sizes of a western North American
SSC passerine; second, it involves an analysis of multiple life history traits which are
potentially affected by climate in a single avian species; and third, it employs the use of
multidecadal data, allowing for an examination of long-term phenomena in nature.
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2078172016-12-01T00:00:00ZCharacterization of Retrotransposons Present in Virus-like Particles Extracted from Plant Tissueshttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/207811
Characterization of Retrotransposons Present in Virus-like Particles Extracted from Plant Tissues
Transposable elements (TEs) are major component of genome.
They are fragments of DNA that can insert themselves into
new chromosomal locations, and often make duplicate copies
of themselves in the process. Among the other TEs,
retrotransposons are most active in eukaryotic genome and
significantly contribute to shaping genome evolution.
Retrotransposons resemble retroviruses but have complete
intracellular lifecycle. Retrotransposons are further
classified into two major groups-Long Terminal Repeat (LTR)
Retrotransposons and Non Long Terminal Repeat (Non LTR).
The LTR retrotransposons complete their lifecycle by
forming Virus Like Particles (VLPs). The lifecycle of a LTR
retrotransposon starts with the transcription of its mRNA
and followed by translation where proteins are processed to
complete its lifecycle. The proteins are the capsid protein
(GAG), aspartic proteinase (AP), integrase (INT), and
reverse transcriptase (RT-RH). Like retroviruses, the GAG
forms a shell, the virus-like particle (VLP), which
packages the nucleic acids of the element and transports
them to the nucleus. The proteinase cleaves the polyprotein
into the functional proteins, the reverse transcriptase
copies the RNA into complementary cDNA, and the integrase
inserts the cDNA back into the genome in a new position.
The goal of my research work was to extract these VLPs from
plant tissues to identify the active retrotransposons. To
identify the TEs, my work was divided in two steps-first
step was to work with model VLP system in Hordeum vulgare
(Barley) to establish a proper protocol for extracting VLPs
and second step was to implement that protocol to other
plant species. Through my study, we established a working
protocol for extracting VLPs from plant tissues and
identify BARE 1 retrotransposons and other elements from
both copia and gypsy super family of LTR retrotransposons.
My work also showed several LINE element products of Non
LTR retrotransposons group in the VLPs of Liliaceae plant
family. These interesting findings from my thesis work
supports that the VLPs are important stage in life cycle of
retrotransposons which are significant contributors to the
growth in genome size.
Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2078112016-12-01T00:00:00Z